


Longing to Linger

by SirSigil



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Game(s), Post-Resident Evil 5, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29082231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirSigil/pseuds/SirSigil
Summary: After defeating Wesker one final time, Chris and Sheva leave the horrors of Kijuju behind them. Some things however, are easier to forget than others, and some things are worth clinging onto, no matter how fragile and distant they may seem. (Chris / Sheva)
Relationships: Sheva Alomar & Chris Redfield, Sheva Alomar/Chris Redfield
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	Longing to Linger

**Longing to Linger**

The helicopter ride out of the volcano was pleasantly uneventful, a far cry from the last few hours and days to be sure. Sheva let herself relax against the seat at her back. A sigh that carried all the weight of the world left her lips. Only now did she realise just how tired she felt. Despite the aches and pains of battle that nagged at her nerves and in her muscles, she couldn’t help but smile softly.

Uroboros was finally destroyed, with Wesker along with it. His maniacal dreams of completely saturating the globe in the virus were up in smoke. What’s more, she’d survived – _they’d_ survived, her and Chris together.

Sheva looked over at her partner. Chris was still gazing out of the window, staring intently at the volcano fading in the distance, his back to her. She couldn’t read his expression, but she could have a guess at his thoughts. His history with Albert Wesker was practically legend. Chris was something of a hero because of it. There probably wasn’t a BSAA agent alive who hadn’t heard of the American’s escapades over the years.

Chris let out a sigh of his own and dragged himself away from the window. His eyes caught Sheva’s for a moment. His lips crooked a small smile, uneven but genuine. He looked so tired.

Sheva opened her mouth to say something, anything that would provide a modicum of comfort. Her mouth whirred on its own before her brain could think of the right words to say.

Before she could, pale fingers gently wrapped over Chris’ arm. Chris looked up to find Jill.

The blonde didn’t say a word. She just gazed into Chris’ eyes. Jill half nodded, an unspoken acknowledgment passing between them, too deep and too complex for mere words. After a long moment, Chris nodded back. Then they were hugging, a desperate embrace that seemed to convey all they ever needed to say. If they actually said anything to each other, it was all drowned out to Sheva’s ears by the whirring rotors.

Sheva turned away, feeling like an intruder all of a sudden. This story had begun long before she ever arrived after all. She was merely present for the final chapter of an epic tale. She probably couldn’t even imagine what it had cost the two Americans just to get here and now.

Sheva kept to herself for the rest of the flight, running her fingers through routine motions over her guns as if they were about to jump straight back into battle. It never hurt to be cautious.

xxx

When they finally touched down on terra firma, Sheva hopped off the chopper. She was immediately swarmed by a small horde of lab coats. She had to fight the urge to bring her pistol up and firing. The faces around her weren’t clamouring for her blood, they weren’t even clamouring for her. She cursed herself a fool silently as they turned instead to the blonde.

Despite her complaints and assurances she was just fine, Jill was taken swiftly to hospital. Partly as a precaution after all she had been through under Wesker’s control, partly to begin testing to uncover just what kind of sick experiments she’d been put under. She seemed fine – Sheva’s cuts and bruise alone could attest to the blonde’s fighting ability – but given the various viruses that had laid waste to populations the world over, she knew it was never too paranoid to make sure. Still, Sheva was silently grateful not to be in the blonde’s shoes, with lab coats poking and prodding and watching intently for any adverse reaction.

Chris wore a mask of barely contained anxiety as Jill was being led away. Sheva approached him and nearly put a hand on his shoulder.

“Go with her.” Sheva offered a smile. “Go on, she needs you.”

Chris gave a weak twitch of his lips in return. Then, he was off at a jog to make sure everything was alright.

Sheva suddenly felt a hand gently fall on her shoulder and was halfway through delivering a mean left hook before she belatedly realised it was Josh.

“It’s been a hell of a few days hasn’t it?” Josh didn’t seem to have noticed her near miss.

“Like something out of a dream, or a nightmare.” Sheva agreed quietly.

“I’d be surprised if Command believed even half the things we went through.” He chuckled. “Speaking of, we better go report in.”

Sheva sighed. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

“Come on, let’s get it over and done with. Rip off that plaster before you chicken out.” Josh patted her shoulder with a chuckle before turning away.

Sheva followed Josh to report to BSAA Command with Josh. It almost seemed strange after the last few days to be reporting back to headquarters just like any other mission, but to Sheva’s eyes life was continuing just as normal. She wondered if anyone here had any idea at all what she, Chris, Josh and Jill had been through. It didn’t seem like it from the way soldiers laughed and chattered as normal. Traffic still came and went from the base making deliveries and sending messages as though nothing out of the ordinary had ever occurred. It was all so domestic compared to the past few days in Kijuju. It was just too jarring for Sheva’s liking.

The pair swiftly reported to their commanding officer, snapping swiftly to attention before delivering their lengthy report of Albert Wesker’s final defeat and the destruction of the uroboros virus. As she spoke, Sheva silently prayed that this was the last the world saw of uroboros or any like contagion, but this had not been the first such incident. She feared it wouldn’t be the last.

Once they had finished the tale in full, the Commander nodded quietly to himself to himself for a long moment, seemingly deep in thought. “You’ve done a damn fine job, Alomar, Stone. You and Redfield three.”

“Thank you, sir.” Sheva and Josh echoed in sync.

“I’m sure with everything you’ve been through these last few days, you’d both appreciate a breather.”

“Sir, I’m ready for deployment immediately.” Sheva protested, a slight frown escaping her stoic façade.

“Yes, I’m sure you are.” The Commander seemed to wave her off with a hint of a chuckle. “But there’s nothing that requires your immediate attention, Agent. And after the mission you’ve just had, you’ve been on high alert for a long time, Alomar. It does no one any harm to take a break for a period.”

“Sounds good to me, sir.” Josh smiled content.

Sheva opened her mouth to protest, but the creak of the door behind her caught her attention like a tripwire. She turned on her heel and reached for a gun that wasn’t at her hip. She was still processing the environment around her for potential weapons and escape routes when she finally saw it was only the Commander’s aide walking in. The young man looked alarmed at the sight of the glaring woman, body tense and ready to burst into action like a coiled viper.

“Take some R and R.” The Commander spoke calmly but left her no room for manoeuvre. “That’s an order, Alomar.”

Sheva swallowed thickly. She turned again to face the Commander, ready to argue again, back straight and shoulders squared. She glanced at Josh. He wore a mask equal parts confusion and concern. Sheva finally saluted the Commander, then swivelled on her heel and left the office without another word.

xxx

He was right of course, her commanding officer. Sheva knew she was still tightly wound through to her core. It was as if she were riding the highs of battle constantly, even though the danger had long passed by. It wouldn’t do to go back into the field in such a state. An overly jumpy trigger finger was possibly the worst ingredient to add to a combat situation. Understanding it was one thing, dealing with it was another entirely. It wasn’t the first time of course, Sheva was no rookie after all, but after everything she’d seen, the dead clamouring for her blood, the abominations Irving and Excella became, how could anyone just go back to normality after all that? Sheva wondered how Chris managed to readjust after experiencing hell on earth time and again. How did he go back to anything resembling a normal life when he’d seen and fought through the worst kind of horrors imaginable?

She wanted to ask him, but she hadn’t seen nor heard the American since he’d left her side to see to Jill. She wondered if she shouldn’t just go and see him and Jill both, but decided against it. She had doubts that she’d be a welcome presence.

Instead, she sought to try and expend her excess energies into exercise. She was at the base’s gym most of the time she wasn’t sleeping or eating. She trained alone, running miles and miles at a time or throwing everything into a punching bag. She found a quiet little room she could use to get away from other people. It helped to shut the world out, putting all her focus into delivering the cleanest, sharpest blow. Tweaking her technique till she found a rhythm she was happy with, then tweaking it again because she was never happy with it for long.

“Need a sparring partner?”

The sudden question almost toppled the African as she was delivering a head height kick to the bag. Sheva turned to glare at the sudden intrusion, fully expecting to have to put down some poorly thought out romantic advance. She was not in the mood for that kind of bullshit. Instead, she found Chris Redfield before her. The American was leaning against the doorframe, muscular arms crossed and a hint of an earnest smile on his face.

“How long have you been watching me?” Sheva brushed a loose lock of hair out of her eyes as she narrowed them.

“I just got here, honest.” Chris held up his hands in a display of innocence. “I was looking for you around the base when Josh told me that you’d practically moved in here. So, I came to see for myself.” He made a show of looking around the simple room: The wooden floor, the plain white walls in dire need of a new coat of paint, a couple of punching bags and one sole exercise mat the only furniture adorning it. “Nice digs.”

“I prefer to train alone, without distractions.” Sheva turned her back on him, frowning at the defensiveness in her words. Then, her face softened and she turned back to him. “How’s Jill?”

“She’s good.” Chris’ gaze veered off and into the distance, far beyond the reach of Sheva’s senses. “There doesn’t seem to be any lingering damage at least. The doctors just want to keep her in to be sure.”

“That’s a relief.” Sheva smiled.

“Yeah … What about you though?”

Sheva shook her head with an annoyed sigh. “I’ve been put on leave till further notice.”

“So I heard.” Chris grimaced in what Sheva took to be an attempt at commiseration. “Still, it doesn’t hurt to take a bit of time away from it all. It can get to you, this line of work.”

Sheva rolled her eyes as she turned back to the punch bag, continuing to deliver solid punches and kicks. She heard Chris walk around from behind her to stand by the other punching bag. Sheva stopped in her assault for a moment. Panting slightly, she hesitantly turned to the American. There wasn’t any of the pity she thought she might find there. There was only a look of understanding, on a warm smile.

Sheva couldn’t help but grin a little back.

“Come on.” Chris jerked his head to the side and stepped away a few paces. “I could use a bit of a work out. But go easy on me, will you?”

“Go easy on you?” Sheva chuckled with wide eyes. “I’m not the one who can punch boulders.”

“Sure you could, in the right circumstances.” Chris winked at her. “I certainly wouldn’t want to bet against you.”

Sheva merely shook her head at his foolishness but duly got into a sparring stance, mirroring the American’s. Then they were at it, throwing punches and kicks to test each other’s defences. It was easy at first, almost playful really, too mild for Sheva’s tastes. She ramped up the tempo and threw a couple of heavy punches at the American’s head. Chris intercepted with his forearm and smirked, before replying with a sharp jab of his own. Smaller and quicker, Sheva danced around his attacks and kept herself out of his reach. The African fired a kick at his side. The American trapped her leg between his arm and waist. Without hesitating, Sheva grappled her arms around his neck and used gravity’s momentum to pull them both over. The pair both grunted when they hit the floor and they rolled over, Chris ended up lying over Sheva. She tried to squirm out and away, but his sheer mass of muscle effectively had her pinned.

“Ha, I win.” Chris panted through a smirk, a bit of sweat glistening from his brow. They were so close, Sheva could feel the heat of his breath on her lips.

Not trusting herself to speak, Sheva merely offered a weary smile and what she could of a shrug, her arms pinned as they were. She averted her gaze, hoping that wasn’t a blush she felt on her cheeks.

Chris seemed to murmur something before getting himself up, untangling the two agents in the process. Sheva accepted the hand that was offered and rose as well. Panting, the African cast her gaze down, suddenly taking in just how damp with sweat she was.

“I, err, better get cleaned up.” Sheva said, quickly retrieving her towel from the corner.

“Alright, sure.” Chris murmured at her back.

She was already out the door.

xxx

That night, Sheva drove a ways out of town. She knew a little quiet spot where she could get some space. That’s all she needed to clear her head, she was sure of it. She parked up at the foot of a plateau that overlooked the town and the hills and valleys around for miles. It was only a short climb to the summit and easily worth it. She was greeted by a great expanse of stars that wrapped the cosmos all around her.

Sheva sat down at the edge, a leg dangling over the side with the other hugged close under arm. A cool breeze swam over her in the night air. It was all wonderfully soothing, just sitting there, letting her mind wander free.

“Nice spot you got here.”

The sudden voice in the dark startled Sheva. She spun awkwardly in place and reached for a pistol that wasn’t there. She cursed herself a fool, she either needed to get a grip or actually get a pistol. Sheva was already processing how best to subdue the threat before realising who it was.

“Chris?”

“Hey there. Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” The big American lug offered with hands raised showing peaceful intent. “I was just looking for you.”

Sheva turned away from him with an annoyed sigh. “It’s fine.” She muttered. She hated being caught off guard like that. She heard his footsteps approach and the soft rustling of his khakis on rock as he took a seat beside her.

“Lovely view.” Chris murmured.

Sheva turned a dubious eye on him, seeing the American gazing up peacefully at then night sky.

“Hmm.” Was all Sheva gave in reply.

“Alright, what’s going on?” Chris probed softly as he turned his head to her.

“What?”

“You know what. You’ve been acting all weird ever since we came out of that mountain.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Sheva shook her head and turned away from him with a sigh.

“Yes you do.” Sheva could practically hear the slight smirk in his voice.

“I don’t think you know me well enough to say I’ve been acting weird.” She threw an accusatory glare at him, feeling her temper rising. “We’ve only known each other a few days, remember.”

“I remember.” Chris nodded, but then turned a smirk against her once more. “But, I also recall you saying that we’re partners till the end, remember?”

“The end of the mission.” Sheva sighed as she got up from her perch. “And the mission has now ended. You go back to the States. I carry on the fight here. Case closed, Mr Redfield.” She made to stalk away.

“Wait! Sheva, come on.” Chris started as he quickly got up after her.

“What?” Sheva demanded as she spun on the spot. “What do you want Chris? Why are you here?”

“I want to make sure you’re alright, we-”

“I’m fine!” Sheva batted away his concern. “I’m a big girl, Chris, I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, believe me, I know. That doesn’t mean you have to manage alone all the time.”

“You don’t need to worry about me.” Sheva stalked away, arms wrapped around herself. “I have people here, like Josh. You’ve got Jill to worry about, remember?”

“Uh huh, and when was the last time you even spoke to any of them?”

“ _Urgh_ , I don’t have to listen to this.” Sheva shook her head and carried on marching away.

“Sheva!” Chris had to jog to catch up to her before she got too far. When he did, he gently but firmly grabbed her arms, forcing her to look at him. She almost recoiled as if shot, as if grabbed by one of _them_. She tried to play off the reaction as nothing.

“Sorry.” Chris withdrew his hands with a wince.

“What for?”

“For grabbing you like that, I …” Chris regarded her carefully for a moment. Sheva felt his piercing gaze see right through her. “It’s alright, you don’t have to pretend, not with me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sheva.” Chris began, his tone softer and gentler than before. There was none of the teasing to his voice now. “I know you’re having a hard time adjusting back to normal life. That’s nothing to be ashamed of you know, not after what we’ve been through.”

“You seem like you’ve got it all together.” Sheva narrowed her eyes accusingly.

“I’ve had a lot of practice.” Chris smiled and Sheva believed him. “Trust me, I went through the exact same thing right after the first time I went through something like this.”

Sheva regarded him carefully for a few long moments. She finally sighed heavily as she leant her head back to gaze up at the sky above. “Alright, fine, you win.” She finally conceded. She lowered her head, defeated and wandered over to her car, sitting on the hood. Chris meandered over to sit beside her.

“How do you do it?” Sheva asked quietly, not looking up from the ground. “How do you go back to … _normal_ after what we’ve seen?”

“Honestly? I don’t rightly know.” Chris sighed, crossing his arms. “After the incident in the Arklay mountains, I didn’t think I’d ever see the world in the same way before. How can you after the dead rise up to take a bite out of you, right?” He chuckled ruefully. “Far as I know, there’s no real trick to it, but what I do know, is that Jill definitely helped. Being with someone who’s been through the same shit you have, even if you don’t talk about it … it helps. Don’t know how or why really, but it really does. I didn’t walk out on Jill then, I’m sure as hell not gonna leave you now.”

“Do you love her?” Sheva asked after a moment of silence, her face a mask. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him turn to look directly at her.

“Of course, she’s one of my closest friends.”

Now Sheva turned to face him. Perhaps the surprise showed on her face. His was tilted in a quizzical expression.

“What?”

“Just friends?”

“Well, yeah? Of course.”

“Really? You were just very … um, _tender_ with her back there. I just assumed you and her were an item.”

“Huh?” Chris tilted his head, confused, brow slightly furrowed. It was an adorable expression.

“Never mind,” Sheva murmured through biting her lip. “I just … I got the impression that she means a lot to you. You nearly went berserk when you saw what Wesker had done to her.”

“She does mean a lot to me. I don’t like to see my friends get hurt.”

Sheva saw the genuine concern in his eyes, it was an honest expression, one so innocently endearing.

“I’d have gone berserk if he’d have hurt you.”

“I bet you say that to all the girls.” Sheva chuckled, shoving him with her shoulder.

“There, you see, that’s more like it.” Chris smiled.

“More like what?”

“You smiled. Don’t try to deny it.”

“You’re just seeing things, Chris.” Sheva was sure she made a poor job of hiding it.

“Uh huh.” Chris murmured in a way that made it obvious that he didn’t really believe her.

Sheva just shook her head a little and gazed back up at the stars. Chris leaned back too, mirroring his partner. It was altogether so much calmer than the last few days had been. It really was a nice night out.

xxx

The next few days came and went by in a haze of calm activity. Taking advice from Chris, Sheva kept herself busy but not _too_ busy. So she split her time between exercise and training in the base’s gym, reading up on the reports she’d missed out on during her latest mission, and simply being with Chris, Josh and the others. She almost hated to admit it, but simply being around her friends did make the most difference of all. Even if they did nothing but watch T.V. or have a drink together, having people around her she knew she could trust slowly calmed down her nervous ticks.

Sheva even ventured to the hospital to visit Jill, on Chris’ urging of course. “ _She’d love to see you_.” He’d said. “ _It’ll make her day to see a face other than mine_.” He’d promised. So Sheva had sighed and agreed to go visit, not that she genuinely thought that Jill particularly wanted her there, they’d only spoken a handful of sentences to each other in total. Still, Sheva found it hard to say no to that muscular idiot.

Sheva went to the hospital with Chris, the American leading the way practically on auto pilot. When they arrived at the right room, Chris knocked on the door and dragged Sheva inside. Jill was sitting on the side of her bed when they entered, looking distinctly bored. The blonde perked up at the sight of her visitors however.

“Hey Chris, Sheva, how are you both doing?”

“Good, thank you.” Sheva smiled.

“Great thanks, how about you?” Chris sat down at Jill’s side.

“Bored as always.” Jill slumped her shoulders to make her point. “They still won’t let me leave till they’re sure I haven’t got anything. I’m getting fed up of waiting though. There’s nothing wrong with me!”

“You can’t blame them for being careful, Jill.” Chris attempted to soothe.

“I can when it keeps me locked up like this.” The blonde cast a glance past Sheva and through the window set into the door. “You two didn’t bring any snacks did you? The food here is awful.”

“Sorry, nothing.” Sheva grimaced apologetically.

“Damn it. Go get us a drink or something?” Jill asked Chris. “I would, but they’d probably arrest me if I left the room.”

“Sure thing.” Chris chuckled before making a beeline for the door.

Sheva silently screamed as the door swung back shut. _What are we supposed to talk about?_ She wasn’t good at small talk. Instead of trying to come up with a lame topic of discussion, she opted simply to smile politely at Jill, certain it looked as uncomfortable as she felt.

“You know.” Jill suddenly filled the silence with a sly look out of the window panel in the door. “He talks about you a lot when he’s here.”

“Who, Chris?” Sheva asked, confused.

“Hmm-hmm.” Jill nodded with a smirk. “You’re practically all he talks about.”

Sheva felt an uncomfortable blush rising. “Come on, you’re exaggerating.” She laughed.

“Well, maybe a little, but when he does talk about you, it’s always a glowing review.” Jill smiled warmly at the African. “You have a fan there.”

“I …” Sheva started, unsure of how to respond.

“Come on, Sheva.” Jill patted the bed beside her with a humoured smirk. “No need to stand on ceremony. You saved my life remember, you and Chris.”

Sheva considered for a moment before joining the blonde on the bed. Her eyes were inadvertently drawn to the collection of wounds on Jill’s chest, the top of which just visible in the ‘v’ of her gown collar. At a glance they looked to be in the early stages of healing over.

“You sure you’re well?” Sheva nodded at the damage. “You’re not just saying that to put Chris’ mind at ease?”

“Of course I’m alright. It’s just a flesh wound.” Jill waved off her concern. “And don’t go trying to change the subject like that. It won’t work on me. So, what about you?”

“What about me?”

Jill made an exasperated face. “What’s your _feeling_? Come on, I’m practically locked up in here with nothing to do all day. Give a girl some gossip.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Sheva lied.

Jill narrowed her eyes dangerously. “If that’s true, I hope at least you have the good grace to be gentle about it. Chris has been through a lot.”

“Are you sure you two aren’t together?” Sheva asked, narrowing her own eyes. “You’re both seem very … _possessive_ of each other.”

“No, no.” Jill waved off the idea. “Though honestly, there was a time I thought it might happen at some point, but Chris has never looked at me in that way. Big lug.” Jill smiled fondly. Sheva found herself believing the blonde. Then, Jill turned a knowing smirk at Sheva. “I thought you had no idea what I was talking about?”

Before Sheva could construct an adequately embarrassing lie, the door opened once more, heralding Chris’ return.

“Sorry it took a while, ladies.” Chris muttered, carrying a tray laden with disposable coffee cups and bags of crisps. “Damn machine was broken.”

“Did you resort to punching it?” Jill asked with a smirk and a lingering look at Sheva.

“We would have heard it if he had, and there wouldn’t be anything left to eat.” Sheva chuckled.

“Ha ha.” Chris drawled.

xxx

The following days brought much of the same for Sheva. She even visited Jill more often than she thought she would, finding the blonde genuinely good company. Thankfully, Jill refrained from prodding her about Chris on her subsequent visits, but Sheva could have sworn she caught the American woman smirking at her and Chris now and then. Aside from that little irritation, Sheva felt calmer than she had in a long while. She was tempted to march back into Command headquarters and demand to be put back into active service, but she recognised that she needed the break and honestly she was simply enjoying the down time. If anything she wished it could last a little longer.

“When do you fly back again?” Sheva asked Chris one afternoon after a training session. The two of them had settled into an exercise routine together, using the same small room Chris had caught her in before. If the American wondered why she was fine with him for a distraction but no one else, he didn’t raise the issue. The African turned to raise an eyebrow at the American when he didn’t answer straight away. She paused halfway through towelling some of the sweat from her face, neck and clavicle.

“Hmm? Oh, err …” Chris rubbed at the back of his neck, more flustered than she was apparently. Strange, he was generally in better shape than she was. “Tomorrow morning. Jill should be getting out of hospital today so …”

_So soon?_ “Right, well, you be sure to write.” Sheva forced a smile.

“Of course, I’ll call every day.”

“Knowing you, that’s a promise.” Sheva smirked.

“Oh, I mean, I can if you-” Chris began falteringly.

“I’m just teasing, Chris.” Sheva smirked. God, he could be so dense at times. “Call as much as you want.”

“I will.” The American promised with a smile, as though Sheva truly doubted that he would.

“So, what’s next for the famous Mr Redfield?” Sheva teased as she took a swig from her water bottle.

“Honestly nothing exciting, just back to the daily grind for a while. It’s not always zombie apocalypses and running for your life, you know.”

“Don’t tell me that.” Sheva pouted. “I’d rather believe you’re off living the high life, having adventures and running from danger all the time.” She smiled at the thought before shrugging. “More romantic that way.”

“Come on Sheva, you know how it is. Some days you can’t even get out of the office for all the paperwork there is to do.”

Sheva sighed dramatically. “You can’t just let a girl dream can you, Chris?”

“I’d have thought you’d have preferred the idea of a quiet life? Particularly after … well, all this.” Chris asked, leaning against the wall next to Sheva with an innocent, curious expression on his stubble laden face. _Why does he have to look so cute?_

“I may have done once, but now? I’m not so sure.” Sheva looked off into the distance in thought, before turning a warm smile on Chris. “Don’t get me wrong, it was pretty terrifying at times, but we had fun, didn’t we? You know, chasing Irving, Excella, Wesker, being one wrong step away from certain death. It was fun, in its own sort of way.”

Chris nodded, smiling fondly at her. “Yeah, it is.”

Sheva swallowed thickly at the look in his eyes. She didn’t know why, but it made her feel mournful.

“But now that’s all over I guess.” Sheva broke eye contact, turning down to the floor. “Not that I miss the zombies or the death or anything, but …”

Chris moved his hand to Sheva’s chin, raising her gaze to look him back in the eye. “It’s ok, I get it. You don’t have to say it.”

Sheva really did feel that he understood. She smiled and nodded.

“Come on.” Chris lowered his hand from her face and Sheva mourned the loss of contact. “We better get cleaned up.”

Sheva merely nodded and followed the American out of the room.

After taking turns to shower, they went to hospital to pick up Jill. The blonde was delighted to be a free woman once again. She promptly fell asleep in the back of Sheva’s car. Chris smiled fondly at Jill as she slumbered. Sheva was disappointed to find herself inadvertently scowling at that and shook herself back into an amiable smile before Chris could see.

That night, the trio got together with Josh for drinks as a way of sending the American’s off. The evening was filled with chatter and laughter as they regaled each other with memories of previous missions and tall tales they swore were true. Jill and Josh laughed particularly hard when Sheva told them how Chris had punched a boulder aside during the final showdown with Wesker. Chris merely shook his head with a sigh and shoved Sheva playfully with his shoulder. Sheva did her best to hide her blush into her bottle.

When the morning finally came round, Sheva drove Chris and Jill to the airport, the ride filled with light chatter and laughing but Sheva felt heavy. She was going to miss Chris and Jill too. Still, this was just how it was meant to be, she thought with a quiet sigh as she pulled the car to a halt in the carpark.

“Well, here we are.” Sheva announced unnecessarily. “Come on, you don’t want to miss your flight.”

Chris’ lips twitched into a half smile before he pushed the door open. Sheva followed suit and made to help the American’s with their luggage. Naturally Chris’ chivalry kicked in and he insisted that he be the one to carry it all. Jill made no complaints, thanking Chris with a slap on the back. Sheva merely shook her head with a smirk.

They ventured into the terminal, Chris and Jill with tickets and passports in hand, Sheva increasingly feeling like a third wheel. She knew she should just wave them off and bid them farewell now. The sooner she did it the better. Still, something kept her tongue still and her mouth smiling a façade as she went with the pair through the airport.

“Well, I guess this is it.” Chris murmured in no time at all just before they reached a security line, staff and ticket holders only beyond. He turned to Sheva, mouth half open as if to say something further, but then it closed again.

“I guess so. Have a safe flight you two.” Sheva smiled then turned to Jill. “Keep him out of trouble now.”

“I’m not sure that’s possible.” Jill snickered, nudging Chris in the ribs. “But I’ll do my best.”

Chris scowled playfully at the blonde before turning back to Sheva. ”I’ll be in touch, promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

The American seemed to be thinking intently, his brow furrowed. “Sheva I-” Then he broke off, chewing his lip with a deep breath.

“What is it?” Sheva asked.

Chris was silent for a moment, then shook his head a little. “Nothing, just … just keep safe, you hear?”

“Copy that.” Sheva smiled again but felt deflated. “You too, Chris.”

Chris chuckled once through his nose, then, dropping the luggage unceremoniously on the ground with a clatter, wrapped his muscular arms around Sheva into a warm hug. Sheva was too stunned to respond for a moment, before she slowly returned the gesture. She idly noticed that Jill had slunk away a little, out of earshot. The blonde was watching the pair with a wide smirk. Then, before Sheva had even begun to relax into the embrace, Chris pulled away and a cold swept over her.

“Well, goodbye Sheva.”

“Goodbye Chris.”

Chris picked the bags back up from the ground then gave Sheva one last bright smile. He turned away and walked over towards Jill. The blonde’s smirk had fallen away now. Sheva gave her a cheery a wave and smile as she could manage which Jill replied to earnestly. The blonde muttered something to Chris as he reached her, brow raised in some sort of question. Only once the American’s had turned fully away from her and join the queue did Sheva turn on her heel and paced back towards the exit.

Sheva breathed deeply through her nose as she passed the ticket desk. That was it then. End of the mission, end of the partnership. It had been a blast, but she knew it could never have lasted forever. She sighed and rubbed at her eye, she surprised to find moisture there.

_Stupid girl_ , Sheva chastised herself.

Walking out of the airport into the hot African sun, she felt a buzzing in her pocket. Retrieving her phone, she found a message from Josh, asking if the yanks had left yet. Smiling, Sheva keyed in a reply – ‘ _yep, finally got rid of em_ ’ – and re-pocketed her phone. She walked back over to her car and hopped in before her phone buzzed again, opening it again to find another message from Josh. She chatted with him for a while before decided she better leave the airport else security fine her for loitering.

Sheva was just about to turn the key in the ignition when she heard more buzzing. She rolled her eyes and thought to leave the message for later when she realised the sound wasn’t coming from her pocket. Sheva looked around for the source, a hint of light from something in the foot well of the passenger seat caught her attention. Curious, she reached over and pulled it up.

It was another phone. Someone called Claire was texting it.

_When r u due back again?_

The phone buzzed again in Sheva’s hand and another message popped up.

_Let me no so I can pick u up Chris_

Sheva’s mouth fell open into an almost perfect ‘O’.

The African checked the time quickly. Chris and Jill’s flight would probably be taking off any minute now. She wondered if she could get his phone to him in time. Sheva swore as she jumped out the car and took off at a jog back towards the airport, phone in hand.

She was halfway through the foyer before realising she wouldn’t be allowed through to the planes without a ticket. She looked back to the ticket desk, multiple expletives forming on her lips when she saw the size of the queue already waiting to be served. She turned back towards the other end of the terminal where Chris and Jill had gone through, just in time to see a plane taxiing over towards the runway. The one and only runway the airport had.

“Shit!” Sheva muttered, glancing down at Chris’ phone uselessly before turning her eyes up towards the flight board. There wasn’t another flight due for thirty minutes. That plane had to have been the one.

Sheva sighed heavily before turning once more back out of the terminal, wondering how much it would cost to ship a phone to the States, probably a lot. Defeated, she wandered back outside and once more to her car, tossing Chris’ phone on the passenger seat when she got inside.

Switching the ignition on, Sheva started rolling the car out of the carpark. She was just reaching the exit when a strange sight caught her attention in her rear view mirror.

Sheva blinked. It was Chris, running down the road after her.

_Oh good, he’s remembered his phone_. Sheva thought idly.

Sheva quickly pulled over to a stop by the side of the road, she grabbed up his phone from the passenger seat and was just opening her door to hand it back to him when the passenger door opened. Chris jumbled himself inside, barely even panting from his run.

“Chris?” Sheva asked, more than a little confused. “You forgot your-” She was cut off by Chris’ lips on hers, kissing her intently.

Sheva blinked twice. Was this really happening? The movement of hot lips on hers seemed to confirm it. She was just beginning to lean into the kiss when Chris broke it off abruptly.

“I err, decided not to go back just yet.” Chris panted, out of breath and cheeks rosy.

“But, what about your job? What about Jill? What about everything?” Sheva asked, confused and flustered.

Chris shrugged with that sweet smile of his. “That can all wait.” He turned to look ahead out of the windscreen for a moment, his expression almost vacant as though he was trying hard to figure something out. Or how to put something into words. Then, he turned back to Sheva. “I want to stay right here, with you.”

Sheva swallowed thickly, eyes wide in shock. She nodded numbly for a few moments, processing.

“Good.” And she swooped back in for another deep kiss.

Chris responded eagerly, tilting her head back to make the most of the contact.

“Wait.” Sheva broke off suddenly with a scowl, pushing him back a little. Chris looked adorably confused. “Who’s Claire?”

“You mean my sister?”

A brief pause.

“Ok.” Sheva muttered with a nod before returning her lips to his again.

Chris seemed happy to resume their embrace without question.

When they separated again, both Chris and Sheva were deeply flustered and panting a little.

“Ok.” Chris began, taking a deep breath. “Want to get a drink?”

“Nope.” Sheva flashed a devilish look at the American before putting her hands back towards the car wheel. “I’m taking you back to my place.” She looked down at her hand, she still held his phone. “Oh, you dropped this by the way.”

Chris took it back with a nod, tearing his eyes from Sheva for a moment to look down at the screen. “Claire! Shit, she’s going to be pissed.”

“You’re sure you want to stay?” Sheva half chuckled, trying to mask the seriousness of her question. She wasn’t completely convinced this wasn’t some sort of fever dream playing tricks on her.

“You’re here, aren’t you?” Chris answered instantly with a smile. “I’m right where I want to be.”

“Good answer.” Sheva bit her lip to keep her goofy grin down. Then her brow furrowed as a thought crossed her mind. “Wait, where’s your luggage?”

“Shit!”


End file.
